Submersible pump motor keeps failing

I have a 1hp 2-wire 240V submersible 4" pump installed in a PVC-cased 6" well. It was installed 6yrs ago. The original pump/motor was a red jacket grizzly with Franklin motor. After 3yrs it failed (locked rotor) and when I pulled it out the case was visibly corroded with holes in it. The pump itself looked fine

I replaced the Franklin with a same-sized Grundfos which operated fine until I turned it on last weekend for the first time since winter. No water. I pulled it out and it also had a locked rotor and the same case corrosion.

Maybe some of the guys who are familiar with boats and sacrificial anodes can explain what's happening... I'm still trying to figure out why fire ants are attracted to electricity.. .they keep congregating in my plugs and switches in my storage trailer.

I've seen this type of thing happen to motors that their electrical supply such as too small of extension cords caused them to heat up... also the same problem with corroded or loose connections in the switch box. So, maybe check your wiring to the well pump.... it's the only guess I've got. If it happened only one time then I'd suspect the motor. Since it is repeating itself with new pumps I'd look for something else causing the problem. Something is making the pump work harder than it should... if it ain't mud or sand then it has got to be in the electrical supply. I had a friend who's well pump kept burning up relays and having problems. We found a wire with broken insulation and someone had been putting on the wrong kind of relay. Taped up the skinned spot on the wire and put in the right kind of relay and no problems since.

If you determine that all the wiring is fine then I think you have to decide whether or not it's a water chemistry problem. Not sure what you have there but here we can take a water sample to the health department for analysis.

Actually I sent the guy over here because he mentioned some large pad mounted transformers 100' from his well. I thought this might take us back to current leaks.

I see a lightening strike in that pump hole, but now he has mentioned that the water is only for irrigation and stinks highly of sulphur.

Also he has no pressure switch or tank on the rig, so it might be running dry. Add a low pressure cut-out switch and small pressure tank. And a buried ground mat at the well top might be advised. The new so called 'three wire pumps' pumps have 4 wires, one for starting, 2 for running, and a dedicated ground wire.

As to small wiring, Franklin motors thrive on wires far undersized by an electricians gauge chart. Franklins own charts advises these wire runs because it provides a 'soft start' and the motor is wound for this very type of service. These are not motors like on your table saw!

Any doubts, search for 'franklin AIM manual'

OK on edit: I see the 'new pics' of the pump head that looks fresh and clean.

So now I say forget the sulphur and focus on the stray current issue.
Unless Franklin uses junk SS, which has not been the case. This seems a grounding issue.

I agree with what looks like lightning damage but I also think there may be stray currents flowing down through the ground wire. It would have been interesting to have put an ammeter on the ground wire before the pump was pulled.

hmmm... let me see here... no pressure switch, no kind of relay, no pressure tank, continuous duty and 3 years old... smells like it got too much work from pumping too hard for too long... Maybe, maybe not.???

OK, I lied about the distance. The well is more like 15-20ft from the transformer box.

I checked resistance from the ground wire to the motor case (from the end of the motor pigtail) and there was only about 2ohms. Which makes sense because the ground is actually screwed to the case. (Somebody asked this question in one of the threads I think).

hmmm... maybe I'm not following you correctly but if you've got the ground screwed to the motor case then checking resistance from ground to motor case I would think you should get near zero resistance. I'd be more concerned about voltage from the case to ground without the ground wire connected to the case.

I'm no sparky either, just a trouble shooter. I'll tinker with things until I figure them out and lose lots of sleep until I do... I think one of the best things you could do is call the manufacturer to see if they have a help line or tech support. They might be able to tell you exactly what the problem is without even looking in a book.

Most meters that you buy at RS do not even have the resolution to measure down to 2 ohms.
If You have a Zero adj, that helps, or use a extended range meter.

Is that motor made to run at 60 HZ, stupid question but I have seen import stuff made to run at 50 HZ, Burns them up on 60 in the US.
Or maybe the power coming of the service is not 60 Hz, or has Harmonics on it.

Most meters that you buy at RS do not even have the resolution to measure down to 2 ohms.
If You have a Zero adj, that helps, or use a extended range meter.

Is that motor made to run at 60 HZ, stupid question but I have seen import stuff made to run at 50 HZ, Burns them up on 60 in the US.
Or maybe the power coming of the service is not 60 Hz, or has Harmonics on it.

Just my two cents worth.

You all have a great day. Keep up the good work.

DonL.

Click to expand...

I'm going to try and get a nice Fluke meter from work if I can get a technician to let me borrow one.

I believe the motor says 60Hz on the case. It's a Grundfos and I bought it from a reputable place.

I would assume that if the power at my panel was not 60Hz that I would have lots of other electrical problems besides the well pump?